Dragon Child By Kirkmenistan
by gibthegrey
Summary: This was Originally uploaded by Kirkmenistan but as his account no longer exist on this site I decided to re-upload it. I do not own this fix nor do I plan to change anything about it, it is Kirkmenistan's property. Summary inside.
1. Transformation & Transformation

p style="font-family: null;"Cold… so cold. Little Harry Potter was cold and alone on a doorstep in the winter. He was left there by one Albus Dumbledore in the hope that he would be taken care of by the Dursleys. But, the man had made the foolish mistake of leaving the child there around midnight, without even a Warming Charm. The simple fact of the matter was that it was very cold. But, one thing that this child, named Harry Potter by his loving parents had that other children didn't was magic. Specifically, wild magic that was unleashed by the recent attempt on his life./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Harry's desire at the moment was to be warm. Warm with a caring mother. His magic responded. One of the warmest things that it could change him into would be a phoenix. However, the sheer raw magical power required to change this little boy into a phoenix was too much to ask, far to much for the human body, even fully developed, could ever hope to channel. Even magic had its limits. However, changing into a dragon… That was possible, albeit highly implausible./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Over the next few months the denizens of Little Whinging noticed a massive decrease in rodent population. This was soon followed by a few missing pets and eventually it lead to an investigation by the police once they started to find said pet's mutilated corpses. However this case was also noted by the magical authorities who worked for the Ministry of Magic by monitoring Muggle cases. They recognized the signs of a young dragon in the area. Approximately one or two years old, judging on the size of its current prey. At this moment it was mainly cats and dogs, however, soon it would require larger prey items. Cows, horses, perhaps the odd human if they stumbled upon the dragon and became a threat to it, instead of doing the smart thing and running away. They would need to act soon./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The residents of Privet Drive and the surrounding boroughs that had suffered this recent problem noticed a van driving around their town. They were relieved to see the van sported a logo stating that it was for wild animal control. They were happy to see something being done about the predator that was eating their pets. The mothers in particular were happy their little bundles of joy were going to be safer now. After all, there was not too much of a size difference between a dog and a child./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The reality of the situation was that there were several Wizards within the enlarged interior of the van. All with some kind of magical detector attempting to find the young dragon. They were in luck, the sensors started to react when they drove by the forest at the edge of the town known as Little Whinging. This forest was promptly cordoned off by police as 'experts' went in to attempt to subdue this monster. The official report was that nothing was found. The incidents halted and they presumed that whatever had done this had left the town due to the increased activity at night. The experts stated that the area had become an unfavourable hunting ground, so the predator had moved on./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The truth was far from the story given to the muggles. A young dragon was found, captured, and extracted. Nobody noticed the missing professionals among the several that left the forest that night apparently scratching their heads. However, the young dragon and his portkey companions travelled to a dragon reserve in Romania. Here they deposited the small and still unidentified dragon species. There was apparently no such breed in existence that matched the baby dragon they found./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Here the unusually small dragon was raised by none other than the head dragon keeper. Some say that his limbs were all magical replacements after each one was painfuly removed by dragons. Others say that he particularly enjoys the taste of pumpkin pasties./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"… All Harry knew was that he was a source of food and he didn't hurt him./p  
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	2. The Old Man

Harry's consciousness returned with a start. He remembered seeing flashing red lights; the feeling of drowsiness when one struck him, and eventually blackness.

Now he was in a warm den crouched in a small box made from metal bars. There were ten lifeforms in the room. Him, five rats in a similar box, two earwigs in the rafters, an owl and a human. Harry remembered humans. They came with sticks of wood that shot red lights. The red lights caused him to lose consciousness in the fight. They could have killed him.

He snarled at the man in front of him, bearing his teeth. The man smiled down at the little dragon in return. The dragon took this as a challenge. The man was bearing its teeth back at him; it was an aggressive display and would be answered in kind.

The old man known as Pemba smiled down upon the small creature. It was pitifully small if it's age was correct, hardly larger than a two month old horntail, and this was apparently a couple of years old. Pemba extended his arm into the enclosure to pet the beast. Said beast promptly bit down hard on his arm… or at least it tried to. The dragons teeth clanged against a metal surface and the old man chuckled as the dragon yowled.

This chuckling swiftly halted once he looked closer at the dragon.

It had four eyes.

Two beside each other on either side of its head. It had 360° vision with depth perception. And it's fangs; as with all dragons they were sharp and pointed backwards for grasping and holding onto prey. But he posessed two sets. The second set fitting behind the first as if there was a second jaw, and it was moving independently of the first.

And it's wingspan! Already for such a small beast it was twice as wide as he was long. It wouldn't need magic to keep itself aloft. But how would this energy be used if it wasn't being drained keeping a creature weighing many tonnes off the ground?

After many months the dragon had become comfortable around the old man. Granted he left him every day but he returned towards the evenings to look after him.

The dragon had long ago learned that the man did not behave like normal animals. It was intelligent, and its arms were hard and impossible to bite. Recently he was feeling something from within himself; some kind rising heat. He occasionally hiccupped sparks and smoke. The keeper started to become weary of him now. The breathing of fire for one so young was unheard of, if downright impossible, but it was also dangerous to the youngling itself. The dragon keeper decided that it was safe for the young one in the 'Nursery' reserve. In this reserve the younger and smaller dragons resided. Safe from the terrible rages of the elders. It was here that the young dragon learned the first of many lessons about life and magic.


	3. School

p style="font-family: null;"The strong survive, but the cunning thrive. This was the first rule that the youngling learned. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The dragon known to the keepers as Jet, due to his jet-black hide, was smart, scary smart. The meat was offloaded in the young dragons enclosure on the floor in a large pile. The enclosure being approximately the size of four Quidditch pitches with cliffs all around to keep them in. Being unable to fly, the young ones quite literally dug in at the bottom of the pile. But Jet did something different; the keepers watched in awe as he swooped around the top, snatching a portion from the top of the pile. The top of the pile was currently out of reach of even the larger young ones, so he was well out of reach. He would swoop around once, swallowing the slab that was always just large enough for him to swallow in the time with his dual jaws always dragging the meat down his gullet before he returned for a second portion. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" By the time the elder dragons could reach the top of the pile they found it sorely lacking in meat. Jet on the other hand was resting almost invisible on his perch. It was high up, and the position of the sun was always perfect so that the glare hid him from the dragons near the food. He times this perfectly after watching the feeding schedule for only three days. Jet watched with amusement, disdain, and utter confusion as his fellow younglings squabbled. There was enough food for all, there was no need to fight over any of it, and yet they did./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He watched as they fought for tiniest of things. Fighting for food, fighting for dens, fighting for good resting spots, fighting because the other looked at them 'challengingly', fighting because somebody scraped a claw on a rock and made a particularly annoying sound; it was endless. He watched as they made mistakes. How many gained scars. How they left blind spots around them. How they didn't tuck in their tail, and how the skilled opponent used their tail to swipe. His tail was rather long, whip like, and even at this young age small razor sharp spikes were growing there. They were always focused on the one opponent, everything dissolved into a red mist. Jet never had a blind spot, he never lost control. To lose control was to lose ones self, and that was dangerous. His four eyes were open and watching constantly. He didn't need much sleep either. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He always had more energy. Boundless energy to use. Energy to burn. He started experimenting with his fire. He had seen some of the elder dragons use it to scare of the new babies, or to heat a particularly comfortable patch of rock. He enjoyed seeing how the rock changed colours when he breathed fire. And then watched as it started to turn white and then melt. He started to expand his perch. Melting the rock and shovelling it outwards. Building walls around the edge, creating a crude roof, sheltering it from the rain. Digging into the cliff he was creating a cosy den warmed by his body. He started to stash meat when he felt the weather change; it grew colder. The winter of 1983 was one of the coldest on record. Jet was three years old when the cold snap landed. Keepers rushed around the enclosure trying to capture the young dragons. Trying to keep them safe through the winter. Nobody saw Jet. He was quite comfortable in his nest, eating meat occasionally. Slowing his core systems down to a crawl he slept with one eye open, always looking at the small entrance to his den that he could just fit through./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The keepers were fearful for Jet. He was not frail, but still rather small and young. He would probably starve in the winter and die in whatever hole he'd found for himself./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The end of winter found the keepers torn, battered and worse for ware. Taking care of twelve young dragons would do that to eight wizards and two witches. They had started to run out of meat and they couldn't re-supply the small lodge easily. However, once the snow had started to melt and the young dragons entered their enclosure again, there was no sign of Jet. He was missing still. They put out the daily ration of meat into the enclosure. The young dragons once again dug into the bottom. Though many were old and large enough to fly they didn't try to copy Jet's trick. They usually lost focus when they tasted the juicy red meat and crashed into something. They swiftly gave up after that, but then the keepers saw a black blur flying over the mound. Many cheered with delight as they saw their smallest and youngest dragon feeding in his unique way. Only he wasn't so small anymore./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"In his hibernation Harry's magic had no outlet. Heating rocks to a melting point was a trick only some of the oldest dragons could achieve due to its magical draw. His magic had grown used to being used almost constantly, and suddenly having no purpose or outlet had caused the magic to look inwards on things to pass its energy to. It saw flaws in the young Child's hasty transformation. Its tail was far too fragile to use as a whip with its spikes, so the bones were reinforced. Its wings would only just carry its weight without using any magic, so they were resized to allow for maximum flight with minimum magic use. Its stomach could only digest meat at a certain rate, so the metabolism was increased. And most of all, the size of the body was increased. The reason that the dragon keepers had not seen him at first was because he was melting his way out of his nest. Needless to say, he was hungry. While his stomach was being sated a small snitch like device with a viewing crystal upon its face was flying around looking for any dens that may exist in the enclosure. The dragon keepers were shocked to discover Jet's nest. It was deep, with a large sleeping area lighted with spruce boughs. The snitch was about to end its recon when all light left the area. The pilots believed that there must have been an error. Then they picked out four green eyes at the entrance, a flash of white flames, then nothing./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet awoke in a new place. Damned red lights. Damned Wizards. He was now four years old. He was now the smallest dragon for his age, only nine foot from nose to tail, but his wingspan was massive; it was at least 24 feet wide./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The keepers had discovered that the dragon known as Jet could fly under it's own muscle power. Jet could also produce fire hot enough to melt solid granite rock. He was also the immediate target of older junior dragons. Some of whom were up to eighteen foot long. However, they didn't know Jet. He was strange. He was a freak. Four eyes, two set's of teeth, ridiculously sized wings, no battle scars whatsoever, and a pure black hide, so easy to spot; he was an easy target, or so they thought./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Immediately upon his rousing the initial protective wards went down. As Jet stood he noticed as several large juvenile dragons approached him, setting aggressive stances. Fighting again. Why the fighting? Jet began to fly away as he always had. Then he noticed the older dragons fly up to him. His rear eyes focused on his pursuers and his forwards eyes focused on his flight path. At the moment this path was up./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Several dragons fell behind until only one was perusing him. A male. He was pushing himself to catch up to the little subordinate, but Jet didn't stop. Flying upwards and upwards. The male was struggling to catch up to him. Then Jet did the impossible, he speeded up. Flying faster and faster as he started to channel magic into his wings. Eventually the young male lost sight of the small dragon. Exhausted, he started to circle his way down to the ground./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Height, he needed height. He had done this trick before. It was how he cut down the bough limbs with clean slices. His tail spikes and become rather vicious scythes with the sharp side facing towards his nose. Once he had flown as high as was necessary he did a graceful 180° turn and fell back to the earth. His four eyes locked onto the spiralling dragon. This must be done correctly. Now, wing or tail, wing or tail.../p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet tilted his wings and began his descent. There was a sense if giddiness, but he pushed it away as he streaked towards his prey. He saw the other dragon notice him, but by then it was far too late. Leaning forward and pulling in his wings Jet became a blurred, spinning wheel. He felt a small jerk, but that was the only indication his tail had just sheered through it's target./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"His wings snapped out again as he almost gracefully pulled out of his spin and landed, his front eyes locked onto the rapidly falling male dragon as his back eyes watched for cowardly attacks on his back while he waited on his kill./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The young exhausted male spiralling towards the ground heard a whistling. It looked around seeing no threat, only to look up. There! A flash of black, streaking directly towards him. Then he heard a painfully loud boom and his eyes blinked shut instinctively. Then, pain. Spiralling downwards, desperately trying to gain altitude. His left wing wasn't working correctly. He looked at it, only to find that it wasn't there. He screamed in terror as he fell towards the earth. Flinging blood all around him. He looked down to see the black dragon on the floor, drawing a symbol on the ground. It looked like two crossed sticks…/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"SLAM!/p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The Senior Keepers rushed out of their hut looking for the injured dragon. They knew that the juvenile horntail known as Thorn was rather vicious to the new dragons. But what they saw stopped them dead. They saw the small black dragon calmly gnawing his way directly into the gullet of Thorn, searching for something./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"They were about to halt the dragon from stealing any of the precious organs. He would ruin them! Each dead dragon, depending on the quality that Thorn left them in, was worth about five hundred galleons! But then the dragon found what it was looking for. The heart of Thorn. It happily swallowed the treat, and then began to scorch the innards. Spells flew from the wizards' wands at the young dragon. All of that money! The precious potion ingredients were being ruined by this young dragon!/p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"As soon as one of Harry's eyes picked out the red lights he hunkered down to the ground behind the corpse. He was trying to get at the best part of the dragon, it's fire glands. The organ that produced the flammable substance in dragon breath. Hidden behind layer upon layer of tough fire-resistant armour. Burning it off was the easiest way. But these damned wizards. Always trying to take what was rightfully his./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He snarled and breathed a low powered burst at a few of their wand hands. Wands were turned to ash and hands severely burned as he finished retrieving his treat./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Harry flew off into the enclosure looking for a suitable nesting sight. And he left several moaning wizards clutching their arms./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Several appreciative female dragon eyes followed his exit. A dragon so small capable of killing the one known to the humans as Thorn was quite a feat. And to do so without a single scratch upon his body? Unheard of. As well as standing up to the keepers. So Brave…/p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Once the wizards had removed the corpse of the charred husk of dragon meat one of them noticed an X drawn into the ground at the centre of the crash zone. Jet couldn't have done that, stupid dragons couldn't even speak. Even Mermen could speak and they were half fish! How could they possibly calculate or predict the landing of such a wildly flapping creature? Dragons were not that smart, were they?/p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"In the Hills an elder dragon watched the new dragons arrival. He liked this new one, it was smart. Unusually smart. It would need to be taught before it became a problem./p 


	4. Settling in

p style="font-family: null;"Jet's fourth year on the earth was very much a different one compared to that of any other child. While a normal, or as normal as any wizard child may be, four year olds may be thinking about where their favourite stuffed hippogriff may be, or when they're going to be fed next. Jet focused on when he was going to be fed as well. His stunt with the young Thorn had caused quite the ruckus among the dragons of the large enclosure. He was quickly picked upon by the much older dragons for his size. He did notice another dragon that kept to the fringes of the society. As if he was embarrassed for his kin and their behaviour. Harry's flying feeding method was the only way to get food now./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Like with Thorn he had to time his sonic boom to arrive precisely when he swooped over the other dragons. That way he could grab the meat he needed for the day and fly away while they were left wincing from the sound. Eventually some of the smarter dragons would later wizen up and cover their ears when they heard the whistling of the emblack-noise-maker/em. Harry then channelling his magic into his flight muscles, boosting his speed even further and flew back to his nest. His new home was much like his old one; a well camouflaged high perch covered and walled with a space inside to land, then a long narrow tunnel in which he could crawl along to enter his main home. It was easy to defend, and simple to maintain. Recently he had made a new discovery while digging./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Running water./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He had accidentally come across a small underground waterfall on its way to an underground river. The small pool he created around this waterfall allowed for him to sate his thirst whenever he fancied before returning to gorging on his meat, or expanding his home further. It was a base urge of his species to expand his empire. Outside it would be impossible for him to express such a compulsion. Normal dragons couldn't build their own homes like this until they had enough excess magic to heat rock to a melting point; such was the draw on their magic. Instead they constantly competed for the few naturally occurring caves in the area. Jet, due to his small stature would have been swiftly defeated and left outside in the freezing cold to die in the winter. Dragons could take a lot, but even they had their limits. This was another habit that the dragon keepers capitalised upon. How else could wand makers come across dragon heartstrings? If there was a wand maker who was skilled enough in his craft to make reputable wands yet also had the balls to go against a dragon, the wizarding world did not know of them yet./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet had started to regress to his home in the keeper's eyes. He never came out to fight for one of the more attractive caves, and he only appeared from his own hovel, wherever it may be, to get food. The main keepers did not believe the young blood when they said that Jet could make his own home. He was too small and young to have that much power./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was not regressing in the slightest, he was just too busy. He wanted his home to be as large as possible. He almost doubled in size the last winter he had laid to rest. He wanted his home to be large enough for the expansion this time. It would be unwise to be trapped within a stone coffin of his own making./p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Over then next few months leading towards winter Jet had started to take more than his normal share of meat. The keepers assumed that this was to keep him fed during the winter. It was about time that the little thing went through a growth spurt. The rest of the dragons would live in their caves, only appearing to feed. They assumed that jet would live in his cave, barely moving. Concentrating his heat within himself to keep him alive during the freezing cold./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The truth was that Jet was building his muscles up further. He had slowly stopped channelling magic into his flight muscles, letting them develop on their own. Allowing them to function without magic to a great degree, carrying heavy loads became a normal occurrence for them now. Jet saw the other dragons' reliance upon the inner fire to fly as a great weakness; it made them dependant on something they had little to no control of. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet could trust his flesh, he could trust his bones, but he didn't trust the fire. He regarded his inner fire with suspicion. It had a bad habit of acting of it's own accord on the smallest of Jet's desires. An example of this was when he was having a nasty bit of trouble digesting a particularly tough bit of meat. The reserve had gone through budget cuts this year; meat in the required numbers was hard to come by on a small budget. This lump of gristle was somehow surviving within Jet for weeks. Until one day, it vanished. Jet sensed how his inner fire reached out and destroyed the annoying thing within him. It was dangerous. It could destroy things without being used in flame./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"During the fourth winter Jet commenced to experiment with this inner fire. While his body was slowing down, slowing to the crawl where his heart hardly beat. His lungs harvested the oxygen they needed by allowing air to travel freely through his body. But his mind was working fast. He studied the fire as it studied him. He watched as it started to change things. How it started to alter his bone structure slightly, tweaking his wings, lengthening his claws, toughening his hide further. He started to use it for himself. Guiding it to change the things that he wanted changed. The back tooth that had always niggled him ever since he had a go at the old man's arm, the patch of scales about the centre of his back that always itched when he flew. He started to perfect himself further, he started to alter his very mind. Allowing him to think faster, achieve a deeper state of concentration when he hunted. To be able to use each eye independently. He also started to grow. Changing his muscles, making them denser, stronger. His bones commenced to strengthen along with them, yet remaining just as light./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He could trust his flesh./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He could trust his bones./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"But his inner fire... maybe it had a use after all./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Spring arrived, and the reserve was filled with the sounds of dragons re-establishing themselves as the strongest. The dragon keepers followed a sound of distress. The greedy humans believed that there must have been a dragon in distress. They could 'put it out of its misery' and reap the benefits of a relatively untouched dragon corpse. What they found was an entrance to a new cave approximately half way up the cliff./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was also billowing smoke and flames./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"White-hot, rock melting flames./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Lava pored from the entrance as something on the inside melted its way out of its winter den./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"They watched in awe as the dragon known as Jet burst his way out of his den and fell to the ground./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Boy had he grown./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Now 20 feet long, four foot high at the shoulder with a massive wingspan, approximately 46 feet wide. His wings now perfected to be the most aerodynamic in flight. He could now fly for months if he could feed on the wing. His jaws agape, two set's of teeth shaking wildly as he roared his jubilation to the world. He was free!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"His eyes then fell upon the keepers. All four of them each getting their own, personal, evil dragon eye. One deep growl, that's all it took. They started screaming for their lives and running. It was good to be the best. He idly considered chasing the little fools./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He had barely taken his first step when a large shape slammed down to the ground in front of him. Harry instantly backed down into a defensive stance. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was the outsider./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"And then with a deep grumbling, akin to the sound of the glaciers that resided close to the enclosure, it spoke./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emGreetings… Young One/em D/p 


	5. Chase

p style="font-family: null;"q73; em style="font-size: 10px;"I have been watching you for some time /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet snarled. These sounds were unfamiliar to him. Deep and grumbling. They also appeared to carry meaning of some kind. It was almost lost to him. He had the slightest inclination that the outsider was trying to communicate with him. It was terribly confusing. Most of the dragons communicated very clearly. With large snarls and aggressive postures. This new method was... complicated. He would have to learn again./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emCan you not understand me? But all Dragons know how to… All dragons… You aren't a dragon, are you? But what are you? /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The Outsider sniffed strongly at the young dragon./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emHints of human… too strong to be keeper residue… NO! It can't be! A Dragon animagus, oh this is going to cause a great stir! Follow me if you wish to learn how to speak then. Drat, you won't understand that either. Now, how to convince you…/em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was still very confused and what was happening. The massive elder dragon was not attacking him, nor was he offering him some kind of gift for his favour. It had sniffed at him, and those deep grumbling sounds were still rather confusing. Then it did something that had never happened to Jet before./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It bit his shoulder and flew off./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet growled with anger at being scarred by this beast, not realizing it's teeth hadn't punctured his hide. His growl changed; It's timber shifting to one of pleasure as the smaller black dragon realized it's elder was entering his domain now./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The sky./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"With a loud roar Jet took off. Striving to gain altitude and to catch up to the dragon at the same time. Its joints were too strong to remove with the first strike; he would have to aim for the membrane that made up the wing. His mind plotting a course best suited for his desires. Sweep from left to right, slash right membrane with tail, membrane will fall of wing, dragon will fall down and dragon will die. Then, FEAST!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"As Jet was commencing his dive, the Elder dove as well. Flying towards a valley that Jet had not entered before. Jet roared as his kill was taken away from him. He wanted this kill, it was his! His wings collapsed against his body, diving straight down. His tail keeping his aim true. Both Elder and ground flew towards him. He was drawing closer and closer to his target. He was close to the ground now-TOO CLOSE!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Self-preservation overtook the will to kill. His wings slowly opening, reducing his speed in increments. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He had learned the hard way that snapping your wings open only caused pain to the joints. When Jet was young he attempted the manoeuvre when entering his home. He couldn't fly for a week. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Once his wings were fully extended he slowly levelled out. The elder had done the same. Jet was now flying at breakneck speeds meters above the ground chasing another living creature. This is what Jet was born to do, this is what he loved. The elder's flight path was erratic, making it difficult to attack. Difficult, but not impossible./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"As the elder flapped it's wings furiously attempting to keep it's speed and it's massive load aloft using it's inner fire to fuel it's muscle's, Jet slowly gained, barely beating his wings, drawing his fire up, aiming./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Sweet baby hatchling this little shit was good! Pulling of a dive like that and not getting hurt? He couldn't keep this pace for long. Where was he now? The elder couldn't hear any flapping./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder dragon peered behind him. What he saw was rather magnificent. The dragon known as Jet following him. Eyeing the franticly beating wings. The only weak spot that the dragon had. The young one's wings however were perfectly still./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"How could he keep this speed while emgliding/em!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet banked with the dragon, the elder looked behind. The manoeuvre briefly put Jet in a position where the elder could see his silhouette, and he could now see his wings./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"They were enormous! About as wide as he was long, yet the little dragon was a fraction of his size. He saw the four eyes moving rapidly. One pair locked onto him, the other two scanning his environment. This was unfamiliar territory for the little one./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Smart. Scarily so./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was focused./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was totally focused on the kill. His eyes locked onto the weak spot that he had always known; the wing membranes. Now how to get at them?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"His mind was not focused on flying at all. It was natural. Subconscious. As easy as breathing. He was catching up, and the elder was tiring. Up ahead a great black lake loomed. Jet had never seen such a large expanse of water before. The elder flew lower. A few meters above the surface. Jet was closing in, his world in slow motion. Thoughts moving so fast it was easy to see the tiny tears that already existed within the old dragons wings. Where to strike to cause maximum damage?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was easy to see his head dipping. His wings clasping together. Diving into the water./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was not so easy to join him. Jet's massive wings built for flight did have one weakness; their size. It took some time to unfurl them, and even longer to draw them in. Jet didn't enter the water straight away. He used his speed to fly up a few hundred meters, then about faced and dived down. Wings clasped in and locked into place. Limbs tucked in as tight as possible. Tail dead straight. His eyes alight with joy and discovery./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"This would be something new./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Where was he now? He followed me this far… please say he followed me in.../p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder dragon pleaded. The little shit was good, taking him into the air had been a mistake, he was clearly outmatched and had barely made it here./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder's eyes picked out a black blur flying up, it's large wings flickering into visibility when the young dragon pushed itself upwards. Then it disappeared./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder dragon dove deeper and he picked up a black blur streaking down./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Boom!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The noise of the dragon hitting the water head first at terminal velocity would be enough to startle any living creature within the lake. It stunned the elder dragon for a second or two./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The young one had fallen for his trick. Dragon skulls are particularly thick. But, slamming into water going as fast as you could usually left a dragon blacked out, concussed, or in some cases, dead./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"This young dragon however did not suffer from the terminal condition known as death. It was simply knocked out./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder dragon chuckled as he embraced the dragon and drew him into the deep. The clan would be interested with this wizard. And start asking questions once he could speak. The first rather obviously would be where he came from./p 


	6. Repercussions

p style="font-family: null;"Many hundreds of miles away from the unconscious dragon known as Jet being dragged into the black murky depths of the lake by the elder dragon, sat an old man./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Though his face was kind and grandfatherly his eyes betrayed his intelligence and cunning. At this moment in time he was reviewing his plans. His plans within plans. His grand master scheme. He knew that at this moment a young boy by the name of Harry Potter would be woken up. He knew that he would no doubt be set to work in the Dursley household. He knew that this would damage the child. But he did not care. Plans within plans, and the overall grand scheme, the death of Tom Riddle, demanded this sacrifice, for the Greater Good. The Riddle boy had overstepped his boundaries, and started meddling with the darkest of magic's and now believed himself immortal. But Harry Potter could kill him. However, he must be changed. He must be weak and needy for him to follow the master plan that would ultimately lead to his demise./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Now who might you ask was this cold, emotionless being. This is the great wizard known as Albus Dumbledore. Friend and companion of Fawkes. Well, not entirely friend anymore. Not after what he did to the boy. The being somehow thought that it was immoral. But it all balanced out for the Greater Good./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Fawkes sat there biding his time. He had grown to be disgusted with his companion. Gone was the young man who wanted to change the world. Gone were the emotions that aided one know the difference between right and wrong. He was now a cold, soulless, emotionless hunk of flesh that willed for the death of another soulless being who continually murmured about the Greater Good./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Fawkes was bored. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Extremely bored. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He started to beg the fates for something interesting to happen in this world. In this age. He missed the good old days where bloody wars were waged, where god-like beings roamed the world. Those were the good old days of magic. The days when lightning storms could be created on a whim. The days when impossible challenges were created to keep the wizards entertained. Challenges like lifting a mountain with the will of only your mind, or destroying the walls of troy with a sneeze. Or killing the immortal phoenixes. Those were the days when his race was almost destroyed. He missed those days. Things were exiting then./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"But now, magical beings were weak. Even the goblins had fallen from the war faring ages of old. He begged the fates for another being such as this. Another being that created beauty and excitement by just living in the same time as them./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Both the old beings musings were disturbed when one Severus Tobius Snape entered the room./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""Headmaster! It's about the boy!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Severus Snape shivered as he felt the layers of privacy wards clamp down around the tower./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""Continue." The old man said, hiding any reaction he might have had./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""He has gone!" Snape answered immediately./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Albus sat up straighter. "What do you mean?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""He never arrived at Privet Drive!" Snape clarified./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"One of the many flaws of Albus Dumbledore came about; thinking he knew what was best for everyone, and his supreme confidence in his schemes always happening perfectly. "Yes he did Severus, I placed him there myself." He replied as if it was the obvious truth./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Severus Snape growled at the slight. He was no liar! "All the Dursleys say they found that morning was a set of rags on their doorstep and a letter. They saw who the letter was from within moments and destroyed it."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Albus paled, feeling the uncomfortable feeling of his stomach drop as his complete fate in his perfect plotting shattered. "And the boy?"/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""Gone. No magical sign of him for miles in any direction." Snape answered, regaining his composure./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""Decades of planning went into the next few years. You had better find the boy, wipe his memories and put him there!" Albus commanded./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;""Yes headmaster."/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Severus left the headmasters office, willing to follow his orders. This was the great Albus Dumbledore, the man who defeated Grindlewald. He could do no wrong. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The Headmaster had started to ponder what had happened just now. He would have to make changes to his strategy. Plans within plans./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Warm/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Too warm./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Much too warm for the usual awakening from blackness in the cold openness./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet slowly brought his body up to heat. Subtly stretching all his tendons and joints. Preparing for anything. He slowly eased open his four eyes, each looking in a different direction./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Once he had calculated what he saw they instantly snapped open completely./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Everywhere there were dragons./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"All around him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Some sleeping, some staring at the new arrival, some making that deep grumbling sound. But what he noticed most of all was how quiet it was./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"No screeching, no posturing, just quiet acceptance./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was that kind of silence that followed the subconscious introduction of two dangerous animals./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was the sort of silence that conveyed a message; 'You recognise that I am a bad ass, I recognise that you to are a bad ass. I respect you, and I'm staying over here and I know that you'll stay over there.'/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"One eye locked onto the elder dragon from outside. His mind had realised that they were no longer outside. There was no sun. Only fires fuelled by oily black stuff that dripped from one wall. The elder was currently lying down directly in front of him. Watching quietly./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He slowly stood and walked towards Jet, who also stood and backed towards a wall. Covering one route of attack. Bearing his teeth./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emRelax young one /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Again with that damned grumbling! ...But his posture suggested non-aggression, so Jet slowly relaxed his gums; still wary, yet calm. As if he knew that this elder meant him no harm./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73;em Yes… some instinctual knowledge of the language, but you have yet to learn the finer aspects of this form of communication. Come, follow me. We must talk with the Elder./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet started to associate certain grumbles to actions. He remembered the sound that the elder had made before he bit him. He knew that the dragon did not mean to hurt him, as it hadn't scarred like he'd initially thought. He presumed that the elder wanted Jet to follow him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"They travelled for some time. Jet watched as the elder continued grumbling as they travelled through caves and tunnels. He heard a distant splashing, like the sound that the elder had made when he entered the water. He could see no entrance to the cave; neither did he feel much airflow that would indicate an entrance large enough for a dragon such as the elder, or himself. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"And especially not that fat thing that lazed in the corner. Jet doubted if it could even move on it's own without using it's fire. They stopped as they reached the corner in which the fat thing was lazing./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emElder /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; strongemAh, brother. How are you?/em/strongem /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emI am well brother. This is the promising one I was talking about. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet looked at the thing, he stared with incredulity as he observed the Elder's submissive attitude to it. This was the elder's Elder? This was their Alpha? The pitiful example of hide could hardly stand, let alone fly! This was-this was emwrong/em!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; strongemA rather pitiful example of a dragon is he not? No presence about him. /em/strongD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emHe can fight Brother, He has killed many Lost Ones /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; strongemNot such a difficult feat… /em/strongD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emHe is intelligent, and different. Look at him! /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder moved a lazy eye to glance at this young one. His wings were far too large. Too much of a target. To thin to do any real damage. Probably couldn't even breathe rock-melting fire when he grew up. Not a fighter. No, perhaps a learner. Yes, that is where this one would be. And four eyes! He could watch many things. Yes, a learner. An observer only./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; strongemTeach him our lore. He is not for fighting./em/strong D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emBrother!/em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73;strongem MY WORD IS LAW! If you wish for him to fight, train him! My clan shall now take no part in his training that is your duty here on. Now be gone! Return only when he is a /em/strongstrongtrue/strongstrongem dragon. /em/strongD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emVery well brother. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was watching quietly, seeing how these two were speaking. He knew that it was about him, his future. But beyond that he did not know. If all dragons were like this 'alpha', he would leave this pathetic clan behind him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"As he left, several female dragons entered the cave, bringing meat in their jaws. He watched behind him as the 'Alpha' rolled over, exposing his organ. The first female hovered over his bloated body. Easing the organ into her body. Pushing her body up and down while feeding him the meat from her maw. The elder moaned through the mouthfuls of choice strips./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He even let the females dominate him!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet snorted with disgust, holding back a full blown snarl. He wanted to leave this place. This place of lazed and degenerated dragons. They were defenceless./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He followed the elder - no, the Elder, for he deserved the title more - to a pool of water. He watched as dragons dove through this pool, and returned with meat. The Elder dove through and Jet followed. At first he thrashed his legs attempting to get a purchase on the slippery rock beneath him. He watched the elder move through the water. Using his wings to fly in the lake./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet copied him. his massive wings propelling him forwards. He quickly caught up to the Elder, remaining at his side. He didn't understand why, he just knew that he should./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Such is the ancient bond between student, and master./p  
p style="font-family: null;" /p 


	7. Teacher

p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was exhausted./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He was currently standing on top of a cliff with his teacher. His leg's ached, his wings felt like they would fall of his back and land on the ground as limp as the meat that lay before him. As he feasted upon the meat as his teacher talked to him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emNow Jet, since you have achieved a good understanding of our language, I can teach you of the draconian histories. Never before has one as young as yourself been exposed to these stories /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Why Teacher? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emBecause it usually takes some time for young dragons to achieve your level of control and intellect. Normally it can take a dragon twenty, sometimes thirty winters to achieve self awareness like yours. Look at them, arguing and squabbling over their food, dividing it up according to their power. We have risen above that. We know that sometimes fighting is not always the best option. Giving dragons portions according to their needs rather than their abilities. For example you would receive a fairly small share of the meat if you attempted to eat in the usual style rather than your unique method. We know that you need a certain amount to survive, without gluttony. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; It is rather useless, all of them fighting down there. I remember questioning their sanity as they destroyed each other. But there are things that are worth fighting for. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emReally? What is worth fighting for? A mate? Hunting grounds? Power? /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Freedom. Freedom is worth fighting for. We are creatures of the sky, the land and the sea. We do not deserve to be contained by these weak humans. They have no right. D Jet explained passionately./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emPower gave them the right. That, and our lack of action against them. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Our lack of action? Or that of our leaders? Your brother for example has been the leader of the clan for some time, he is one of the oldest dragons that exist. Does this mean that he is the most powerful? No, and In all my years I have never seen such a poor example of a dragon. He is weak and helpless. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emHe may be, but those who follow him are not. Remember the females? They are the strongest of us who were given the honour of siring his young. His power is not based upon his own flesh and bone, but upon the support of others. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; That makes him weak. You say that depending on others isn't a weakness, and I'll admit I've seen the benefits if you find a strong dragon to watch your back, but personal strength is even more important. What are the wings without a strong guide, what are the teeth without strong muscles, and what good is numbers without a strong leader to reign them in? Weakness cannot be allowed to exist within the leader. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emHush! You shall not speak as such against my brother /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Why? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emBecause he is the strongest and any word against him is an insult and a threat. He will punish you!. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Ha! You could crush his skull under your foot. He can hardly walk without the aid of his fire, let alone fly. He hides in his underwater fortress to escape the wrath of those who would seek to usurp his authority. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emHis fire? /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Yes, the inner fire. The strength that allows dragons to fly. Why do you think I have such large wings? Because they look good? These were grown by the fire to save its usage. Allowing it to focus on rock melting. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emAhh yes. Your rock melting trick. I was surprised to see you doing that when I took you away. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Of course I can do it, I've been doing it for two years… Can't all dragons? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emOnly the oldest of the lost ones can. Only those who have seen at least fifteen winters can start to melt rocks, let alone make any decent sized cave. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; But I have only seen five winters and I have made my own caves in the past. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emExactly. That is why I am worried. It would be bad for your… fire did you call it? To be stunted by your over usage. Show me your past work, perhaps we could improve on your technique. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Very well, follow me Teacher. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Even though Jet had been worked hard this day, and even though the Teacher was starting to see things that defied the rules that he had created to organise his world. Such rules as that it was impossible for a dragon to fly so high as he could just breathe in the thin air. Dive so fast as they destroyed the world around them with a loud boom. He watched in amazement as Jet flew with his cumbersome wings. In the air, or in the sea, he was amazing to watch. Flying faster than any that he had seen before. They landed at the sight of their first proper meeting. The cold river of rock showed the place that he had emerged from./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emAnd you did all of that in just one day…Winter will be upon us again soon. We shall create our homes within this rock. Whoever survives with the least weight loss shall be the successor./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Very well. Can we store food, or should we only survive on the fat of our bodies? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emYes we can store food, but you cannot use any existing caves. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; The thought! To cheat would be a strike against our honour. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder did not honestly expect the young one to create a decent home in any decent period of time. He had been pushing the young dragon to his limits. Reaching a few of his own in the process. He could hardly breath rock melting fire for a few minutes at a time now, he was exhausted. But he continued to test the young dragon, as it was his duty as a teacher to do so./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emRight Jet, commence the construction of your cave, I shall do the same. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet looked up at the rock face, searching for a good spot for him to use. He wanted to use a ledge again, the extra protection that it gave him and that feeing of safety from being above the ground./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"THERE! A decent sized ledge. Jet jumped up, secured himself to the rock face, climbing up to the ledge. Once he was secure, he commenced heated the rock and scooping clawfulls of the stuff onto the edge of the ledge. He made good progress, reaching about where he wanted the cavern to be that day. He remembered to make the tunnel wider than usual to allow for growth. He didn't want a repeat of last year. He knew that he grew a lot over winter, it was just one of those things that he'd need to account for. Account for better, that is./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder watched in fascination as his student commenced production of his den. Exiting every now and then to dump the molten rock on the ledge. It was a cunning plan, creating a cover to the entrance by using the excavated rock./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder however was going for a more traditional approach. He started by finding a fault line in the rock, then heating the edges. The rocks fell in flakes as they heated and expanded. Eventually after the day, the elder had produced a large entrance, big enough for him to lie down in. He took shelter there that night. The scree that had fallen off was very comfortable, conforming to his shape very well./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The next day arrived to see Jet once again at work. The elder was exhausted from the building yesterday. For a normal dragon it would take weeks to produce a shelter the size required for the Elder. But Jet was not a normal dragon. He was a wizard dragon. The elder chuckled in his sleep. THAT was going to be an interesting conversation. Jet's sleeping area was starting to take shape; he could just about turn around inside now. His work continued until about noon. It was time to eat, and he was hungry! He left his home for now, finding the Elder still sleeping at the entrance to his cave. He was getting old. The Elder knew it, Jet was starting to. He remembered the talk they had yesterday, about how those who were found shared their food, not minding for only themselves, but for others now heeded their help./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder groaned. He hated building caves. He smelled smoke. Jet was already up and running. Probably ate lunch too, damn. He emhated/em missing lunch./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder moved out of his shelter, only to smell meat. Meat that was close by./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He looked around for the delicious smell. There, next to his cave, a few meters above the ground on a new ledge was his lunch. It was warm too, an unintended yet welcome side effect of using a fresh ledge. The elder munched gratefully on his meal as he eyed Jet's home. It was shaping up well, too well./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It's outside had a good sense of camouflage. He had obviously gone to the trouble to shape the outside of the entrance with a little more skill rather than the haphazard slap of rock yesterday. The ledge had apparently disappeared, only a bulge of rock remained. And a hole just big enough for Jet to enter was visible. Of course having smoke pouring from this hole did make it a bit easier to spot. He decided to find out how his student was doing./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He raised his head and peaked inside. All he could see was black smoke, with hints of light some distance inside./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Whatever he was doing, it was ambitious./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder returned to his shelter. It would have to be deep, very deep. It would be another cold winter./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Xxx/p 


	8. Cold & Warm

p style="font-family: null;"Jet was working hard in his home./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He had the sleeping area set out nicely, it was spacious with enough room for him to just about stretch his wings. This was quite a feat considering that yesterday it was just a small hole in the cliff. Well, a very deep hole in the cliff, to be fair. Currently he was searching for the old water stream. It was useful, being able to have a drink without going outside./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He tried placed his leathery ear to the rock face, listening for anything./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"His world slowly drew down to that one ear. Concentrating on hearing something, anything. Slowly the sound of a trickle of water fell into his ear. He began digging again. His Elder would most likely look into his cave. He wanted to impress him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The winter was once again, harsh. Freezing cold winds accompanied by a heavy snowfall. Several of the smaller caves were snowed over; the Elder's cave was nearly covered too. But Jet was very happy in his cave high on the cliff. Now and then munching on frozen meat. An eye open on the entrance throughout. Eventually the snowstorm stopped. It was still freezing cold outside, any dragons who chose to leave their homes would die on that day. Jet was snug and warm in his cave though. The bough branches insulating him from the cold floor./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"All was quiet for a month./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Then She came along./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"In one of the smaller caves, a group of dragons had been forced out because snow filled their cave. The only dragon that was awake enough to survive the incident without freezing outside by escaping to another cave was a young female dragon. Her mind reeling with the shock and the cold she sought shelter./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She wandered close to the cliff wall in which the pair of outsiders dwelled. They never fought; perhaps she could shelter there…/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She saw an outcropping that was surprisingly free of snow./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's open eye sensed movement. This had never happened before. He imitated sleep; depending on who entered he would react accordingly./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Slowly, very slowly, a dragon's head entered. It was a female, the vague softness in her eyes and slenderness of her head and body showed that. She was about fourteen years judging by her size, she was larger than him, though not by much. His reputation should ward her away if need be. She slowly ventured into his home, gazing around at the massive interior. She drew closer. Time to react./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"A single growl. One, deep, harsh growl./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She instantly froze. Her gaze fell upon the now awakened form of Jet. His tail raised above the ground, slowly waving side to side. A warning that if she was to venture closer, he would strike./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She slowly slunk to the other side of the cave, lowered in a submissive posture. Jet growled his reluctant acceptance of her behaviour. He did not survive years of living on his own by being kind and accepting, but his base instincts to protect his own home warred with the logic and kindness that the Elder had instilled in him. They both slowly edged back to sleep. Jet still keeping an eye on this strange female who would dare enter his domain. He should kill her for even thinking of taking what was his... but he remembered his talk with the Elder. The right thing to do was give by need; and she needed a place to stay, or she would die. She had done nothing to wrong him, it was perfectly safe for her to remain, so long as she would stay out of the way. She seemed willing to submit to him, so he would allow her to stay so long a she knew her place./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Now that the predominant part of Jet's brain was shut down, the fire could roam freely through his body. Most of it was spent on growth, turning him from the slight flying thing to a dragon with a little bit more mass, a little bit more presence. He could still fly as he used to, but he had just that tiny bit more… substance, strength that was now displayed. Some of it however, changed a small part of his mind. He would be learning about important things soon. His memory would need to be improved further to remember it all./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Then the cold snap happened. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The temperature fell to record lows, the keepers withdrew to their huts. No meat was given to the dragons. Only the strongest survived. The keepers believed that any dragon below the age of 13 years would certainly die, above the age of 20 the dragon would likely live, if they had a decent enough cave. Some Wizards later theorised that this cold was a result of a test held in the Romanian version of the English Department of Mysteries into using energy from the world to fuel particularly powerful temporal spells. The experiment was never attempted again./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Two dragons in a cave however were going to prove the keepers wrong. Jet had finished his growing and was patiently waiting for the warmth to return, his reserves already built up once more. Then his body noted extreme differences in temperature. It had fallen greatly. He was surprised to see that his roommate was still alive. Though only just. The cold air was slowly killing her. Her inner fire flickered and waned, but refused to go out. He had to admire that level of stubborn will./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Harry had no worries about killing before. But his education had shown him things. Taught him things. Some things were sacred; at least they were supposed to be sacred. Life was one of these sacred things./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet believed it was a tribute to life when two dragons fought against each other to the death when it was for a good reason. It was a beautiful struggle of dominance. It was things like the 'Alpha' that put a disfigurement on the name of life. Things like him didn't deserve life when so many didn't enjoy it to the fullest. It was a shame for a dragon to die like she was. With no fight, no chance for her to say her piece, prove her worth with no glorious end. He would save her so she could enjoy life, live it to the full, and die living it to the full./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet warmed up his muscles. This would require movement./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He slowly raised himself to his feet, munching on a particularly frozen piece of meat as he made his way over. The female's eyes shot open in fear. Then in shock as she watched him set himself in front of her, creating a warm shelter around her body, facing his body to the cold. Before she was larger than him, now he was a little bit larger than her./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"As his body made a ring around her, his wing moved to cover the top. She was in a warm place now. Jet's head was also within. Using his inner fire to heat himself up a bit faster than usual. The small strip of meat now thawed in his mouth was offered to the female dragon. She graciously took the strip, wolfing it down. She paused briefly before giving his face a soft lick in thanks before curling up within her new nest. Jet curled closer, reducing the gap between them. Drawing warmth from the little bundle within. Eventually there was no space between them. Snuggled against each other. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Both warm in the cold./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Both surviving./p 


	9. Beginnings

p style="font-family: null;"Warm within Jet's embrace lay one Hungarian horntail. Her name was Redclaw. Labelled as such to warn those who looked to mate with her to be wary, she didn't take to males kindly. So imagine her horror when she awoke snuggled next to a male after her hibernation. Snuggled! Dragons did not snuggle! Then the memories of the winter came back to her slightly fuddled brain. Leaving the snowed in cave, finding the strange outsiders. Lodging with the younger one. Nearly freezing to death in the cold snap, the younger saving her, feeding her. How she thanked him. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Her eyes picked out two green eyes looking directly at her. He softly grumbled. His head was sideways along the edge of the shelter that was his body. One half in the warmth, watching over her, the other half in the bitter cold, watching over the entrance. Foolish dragon. He could have died protecting her from the cold. He would no doubt want to mate with her for his protection. Foolish dragon. If he came near her, her spikes would dash holes in his hide... If only she could somehow move enough to hurt him. But it was so warm. Was it warm outside yet?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She nuzzled at the joint between his wing and body, wanting to look outside. He opened a tiny gap in his wings, only for freezing air to blast her in the face. She flinched, but managed to glimpse outside; she could see nothing but white. The opening snapped shut again. The inside of her little tent was cold. She snuggled tighter at the source of heat that was Jet's torso. It was… nice. Once again she thanked him, slowly licking his face./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was rather confused at this female's behaviour. He sensed that she didn't want to mate with him, her body language showed that rather clearly once she woke up. Tail stiffly between legs, defensive, ready to gore any eager member's that desired to penetrate her. She nuzzled his wing; did she want to see outside? He opened a tiny gap. The numbing cold outside swiftly entered. Once it had gotten slightly too cold for his tastes he shut the gap. The female, sensing this cold, commenced to snuggle up to his side again, seeking warmth. Her posture oozed relaxation and trust while she languidly licked his face. He didn't entirely understand this behaviour. He recognised the licking as a sign of thanks, and perhaps submission… The snuggling was for warmth only. It couldn't possibly be because she enjoyed it./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder emerged slowly and surely from his cave. Burrowing up through feet of snow./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He looked around. The entrance to his student's cave was just visible. He decided to have a look to see what was going on. As his head slowly entered, he spied his student lying on a bed of tree limbs, and... had he grown? How as that possible. Dragon's don't grow during winter. The elder had lost quite a large amount of mass during this winter, it was unseasonably cold. Both of jet's visible eyes opened and stared at his teacher./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emCome jet, we must learn again/em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; I can't move just yet. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emWhy? /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; I'm occupied. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emMove. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"This was an order. Jet sighed and slowly uncurled. To the elder's shock, a young Horntail verging on maturity lay in warm hollow that Jet had protected. Redclaw staring unabashed at the elder./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emMy student, you move quickly don't you? /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Your not going to forget this are you? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emNo… No I don't think so./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet groaned at the amused face his teacher was making, his wizened eyed gleaming with the promise of future teasing./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The keepers looked out at the money that lay before them. Hundreds of young dragons had died this year. Four rather sadistic keepers hoped to find the young seven-year-old known as Jet. They would enjoy seeing the dead body of that one after what he did to their hands. He could probably sell for tens of thousands to the ministry for examination./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Alas, he was not among the dead. Only one young dragon however had survived. Redclaw. She was looking surprisingly chipper for one who had just survived the coldest winter on record./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"There were, however, two black shapes on the lake. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Bastard dragon had done it again…/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet and the elder could be found later that day looking over the black lake that day. Beneath them they knew the location of the clan's den lay. Normally there would be a large hole about here where dragons dove in and out on their way. But today, there was nothing./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emThe lake must have frozen right through /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; We are going to have to rescue the pathetic beings, aren't we? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder clipped his student with his wing./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emDo not speak against the clan/em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; I don't speak emagainst/em them, I speak emabout/em them. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder's eyes rolled at his insubordinate student. He would have to tell him soon. Transform him, then chase him around as an incentive to change back. He would deserve that. The image of such a tiny human being running for its life screaming was a to tempting offer to refuse. He chuckled at the image. It would happen. Hopefully this year, possibly not./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Elder, what's so funny? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emWe are going to have to save them after all. Come Jet, let us melt some ice. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The dragons of the Romanian clan were looking on with horror at their entrance. The entire room was frozen over. Totally. Any attempts of melting any further up through the ice resulted in exhausted dragons. They assumed the ice was denser than usual. In actual fact, they had grown lazy, but they were too proud to realise or admit their fault./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Then one of them spotted light through the entrance. Something was burning its way down. They were afraid. Only the old elder knew of this cave. That and his new student. They had both been cast out as they didn't listen to their Alpha./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Suddenly the ice was breached. A large black dragon slid through the hole and skidded to a halt within the ice cavern. It looked around at those standing around it. Eyes revolving madly./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Weak D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The one word echoed through the caverns. The young dragon swiftly clawed his way up the chute he had made. Returning to the dangerous surface. The dragons looked on in shock. The young one had built the tunnel. No, he couldn't have. They weakened the ice for him. It was all their work./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emJet, I need to talk to you. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"em /em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; About what? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emDo you remember your beginnings? /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"em /em/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; With Pemba? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emNo, before that. Before you arrived at the reserve./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; No, well I remember some short flashes of light. Green mostly, and cold. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder sighed. This would be difficult./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73;em Do you know what the keepers are./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet grinned/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Squishy and yummy. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emNo… what are they?/em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Wizards. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emIt's time we talked about the Animagus transformation/em. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; So let me get this straight. Because of my massive reserves of inner fire, and the fact that I grow during hibernation, you assume that I am a wizard dragon animagus? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emYes./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's head fell downwards. Head-butting the ground repeatedly./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Your serious aren't you? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emYes./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; And why would I want to become human? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emWell, for one you would be able to learn magic./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Magic? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emWhat you call your 'inner-fire'./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; What could I do with it? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emIt's totally up to you/em. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Wait, how do you know about all of this? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emI… was not here all my life/em. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; What do you mean? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emI worked with the goblins./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Goblins? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emEvil things that use us for their own needs. I guarded their lower vaults and ritual chambers. I saw many things. Wizards using magic, wizards changing into animals./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; And you think I'm one of these wizards. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emYes./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet hated training to be a human./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It wasn't that he couldn't do it. Within a few weeks he had started to change his limbs into human like limbs. His tail withdrawing within his body, his wings slowly clamping onto his back. After months he was turning into a human./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder did rather enjoy his revenge in chasing Jet around while he tried to change back. Jet did not enjoy that. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Not. One. Bit./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"It was just the feeling of being weak. His only method of feeling strong was using his fire. Its reserves had vastly diminished from when he was in his dragon form. He didn't like it. He hated feeling that weak. The only way to be strong in that form would be to learn magic. But there would be some time before he was taken to school. Until then, he would have to occupy himself here./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Why are we taken by goblins? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emThey wish to use our strength to control their vaults/em. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; How are we taken? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emUsually in the night in winter. They search for large lost ones and train them for their own gain. It is a disgusting practice, but they are stronger than us./em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Why? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emMagic/em. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; They cheat. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emThere is no cheating in war, only winning and losing/em. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Redclaw was having a horrible year. She had recently come into heat, and all male dragons she came across were hounding her. but none of them met her fancy. Many males limped back to their shelters those months after they refused to take a hint./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Redclaw sensed winter was arriving soon. She hoped that she could spend it with the outsider again. He was kind. She missed the 'snuggling'. When she came across his den, smoke was pouring out. He was enlarging his home again. She poked her head within again. There he was, in all his glory. Strong, kind, cunning, and protective; the best mate she could think of. And he had grown. A lot./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's insecurities about his weaknesses as a human child were passed on to his dragon self. His fire continued to slowly help his growth during the year. Not as bad as his winter spurts, but still a large difference since last year. She crouched down low and approached him. He stopped melting the rocks and looked back. He was surprised to see her. A surprised and pleased growl escaped his mouth. He walked forwards and nuzzled her snout. She licked his in return. She walked slowly past him to lie down on the bed. She curled tightly into a slightly defensive ball./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's nose sniffed impulsively as Redclaw walked past. She was in season, and she had come to him! Then rational logic came back to him. She had taken out many hopeful males before, he could smell the blood of dozens on her. He wouldn't become one of that number. He slowly curled around her. Far easier than last year. She could actually move around fairly comfortably./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Redclaw was in shock. Happy glorious shock, granted, but shock none the same. He had resisted. She knew he had smelled her. The bulge beneath his scales proved that, but he had refused to 'open up', releasing his organ to the air to mate./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She returned to snuggling against him and his warmth, very deliberately but briefly rubbing her thigh against the bulge. She enjoyed the sight of one of his constantly rotating eyes freezing and focusing on her. She played innocent. He had passed. After the winter, she would be his, only his./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p 


	10. Explorations

p style="font-family: null;"Jet slowly started to warm up after a less severe winter. Red was still comfortably snuggled up against him. He spent some time watching her sleeping against his body. Eyeing her beautiful scales, how they shimmered in the half light that diffused through his wing. How her spikes were coloured from the red of her scales to the white bone of old skeletons. Her claws lightly curling and viciously sharp. Her powerful flight muscles underneath her hide./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She was exquisite./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet spent some time watching her awake slowly. The warmer environment causing her to stir. Her eyes flickering open. Watching as she changed from the oxygen deprived primitive brain of hibernation to the more intellectual brain of a dragon on the cusp of maturity. She started to growl at him, but this wasn't an aggressive growl, far from it. It's tone was deep and soft. More of a purr than a growl. She slowly moved her head to his, licking his face clean of any things that may have made it dirty over the sleep. She was acting differently as well. Rather than just thanking him and being on her way, she was actively cleaning him. It felt good, being looked after a bit. Jet's memory vividly flashed to the 'Alpha', being dominated. He didn't want that, but this… this was nice. Jet grumbled in appreciation for what she was doing. He would be careful not to let her dominate him, lest he become like that... emthing/em, but as long as she knew who was in charge he would accept this./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"After a while, Jet's stomach announced that it needed feeding. Jet arose from his position. On the other side of the cave there would be some frozen pieces of meat. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Redclaw did not feel that this was a good idea. She wasn't finished with him yet./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was confused. Redclaw had gone from being totally platonic, bar snuggling for warmth with the odd lick of thanks, but now here she was, rubbing herself against him. Rubbing his scent on her and visa versa./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Honestly, its like you want me to mate with you. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Redclaw perked up instantly, growling with joy. Jet's mind cast itself back to when he was still learning the dragon language. He could understand the general subject of the conversation, but didn't understand it all the way through./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Then, his mind awoke, flashing back to a most embarrassing moment the previous year, when the elder had seen fit to tell him of all things mating./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder greatly enjoyed the shifty demeanour of his student. Granted he knew vaguely of what he spoke of, but it was fun. How many times do you get to single handedly, to borrow a phrase, rob a young dragon of any and all innocence he may have?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emNow Jet, let's talk about stimulating a dragon's ears /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's ears unconsciously flattened to his skull./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder laughed. This never got old!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Wait. You want me to mate with you, don't you? D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Again, she growled, but now with impatience. Halting the rubbing she walked forwards and crouched low, moving her tail to the side. Presenting herself to a male for the first time in her life. Slowly but surely Jet's organ awoke from it's home, and emerged to the world. slowly padding up to her, unsure if this is what she really wanted. Redclaw swung her head around, licking his snout to comfort him. Encouraging him onwards with soft whines of need. Jet mounted the dragoness in front of him, his organ searching for something to drive into./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"As Jet slowly drove forwards the head of his member found purchase, sliding into the female's warmth. Redclaw's growls once again became purrs. He began to nuzzle Redclaw's head, softly nipping her ears, as he continued to slowly pump in and out of her hot, wet, tight, rippling core./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She was his. As this primal instinctual knowledge came over him, he started to feel a vast need for… something. For release…/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Redclaw was hunched with anticipation. She had seen others of her kind being claimed for the first time, they all screamed in pain. Often the male simply lunged upon her, chewing their neck to pieces. He would pump for a few seconds, release his essence, and promptly leave the injured female alone, her purpose filled. His need sated./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"There was none of this with Jet. Jet slowly came up to greet her, nuzzling her side. He softly found her core, being carefully not to rush. He slowly stroked her depths. Nibbling her ear. She started to feel a rushing sensation building at her core. It spread, it moved from the core to the ends of her paws, the very tip of her tail, then it reached her brain. She felt her core fluttering around him. What emwas/em this sensation? She loved it! She needed more!/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Then he changed./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Gone was the soft, kind, caring dragon. In came the instinctual monster. Jet's strokes changed from soft and long to hard and short. The nibbling became downright chewing, but it never became painful, unlike the other... emmaulings/em she'd seen. Again, the rushing sensation poured over her again, and again, and again. Until finally Jet roared out his release. She felt a flow of a different kind of hotness within her as he rammed himself as deep into her as he could. That was the final straw. She fell to the ground, knees finally giving in. Jet slipped off her back to the side, exhausted. Redclaw backed herself into his body, enjoying the warmth it gave her. Jet's massive wing instinctively extended, covering her, protecting her. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"She had chosen well./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder dragon was awoken by a loud noise. Once his brain had processed the tone and rhythm of the roar, he knew that it was his student. He smirked and slowly returned to his dreams. It was about time those two got together./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The next day the elder poked his head into Jet's home. He could see Jet and Redclaw curled up next to each other, Jet was awake, slowly licking her ear, trying to bring her to the world of the awakened. When she did wake up she stared up at Jet. Love and devotion in her eyes./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder started to laugh. Barely past seven winters and he already has a mate who would be loyal to the glorious end. Only then was he aware that his laugh had entered the cave. Six furious eyes locked onto him. Both shrieking as their privacy was interrupted. The elder couldn't get out of there fast enough as a fireball whizzed past him./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Please don't tell her yet Elder. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emWhy? I would find it rather amusing if you were chased to the death by an angry dragon /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Yes, it would be very amusing, being squashed by my mate. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's dry comment made the elder laugh./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Look, let's wait until she can speak. After that, we will talk about it. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emShe's your mate, my student. It lies upon your neck. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Thank you for that inspiring advice. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Deep chuckles filled the cave that night./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet was flying. Hard./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"He was currently flying down a canyon, with about two feet of clearance on either side of his wings. He hated this exercise. He had to focus to such a stage that he could fly perfectly through the treacherous air currents of the canyon. To fail would mean breaking his wing, and falling to his death. As he moved to the final stage, he saw the canyon narrow. This bit he really hated. As he approached, his wings folded half way, decreasing their length but doubling their depth. As such his air speed rapidly increased as he lost altitude. As he exited the section his wings slowly moved from their controlled dive position. He had done it. But, had he done it any faster than last time?/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emFourty eight Drips/em D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder had been watching a fairly moist rock next to a waterfall dripping. This was how he measured the time of the course. Sitting next to him was Redclaw. She was starting to learn the language. Although she had yet to grasp any of the subtleties of the language, she got her point across rather nicely./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; Faster than before. D/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emDon't let it get to your head Jet. You can do better. Now get out there and fly it again. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; strongElder, what is the fastest that anyone other than Jet has gone around this course? D/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"strongem /em/strong/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73;em I did it in my youth. Fifty Three Drips. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; strongHe beat you! /strongD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emYes he did, and I practiced this course for years. He shouldn't be able to go that fast. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73;strong Then why did you send him out again to go faster if he can't? /strongD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"q73; emBecause I didn't tell him that he couldn't go faster. I've found, that if you don't tell a dragon the limits of what he can and can't do, he will go above and beyond those limits and shatter them because he doesn't know they exist. /emD/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Once more the mating season descended upon the reserve. The elder suspended the lessons until after the winter because Jet had Redclaw around, and mated females in the mating season were very on edge, and rather protective of their mates. Redclaw described to Jet what it was like before meeting him. Being hounded by wanting suitors, often being forced upon if their need was that great./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet remembered the elder's speech about those who actually needed more than they could possibly get. He suggested to Redclaw about using their abode as a sort of Sanctuary for those who wanted to get away from all of the fuss with the males. So Redclaw left Jet in charge of guarding their nest as it had become quite the desirable abode. She would try to convince the others in their own Lost One's tongue. Jet was surprised to hear of this language, but then he learned that it wasn't really a language, just an understanding of body posture and some basic grumbles. He spent his time enlarging the entrance tunnel further, creating a roomy side cave where he could stay and stand guard if they didn't want him in the sleeping area./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"After Redclaw returned with the first Female and saw what Jet had done, she had told him very firmly that he was not sleeping in that little hole there, he would join the rest of them in the cave. After all, he was hers, until he found one who she was willing to share him with (though she didn't tell him that last part, he seemed content with just her, but she had her own doubts about her ability to sate his rapidly growing needs). As time progressed, many females in heat entered the cave. This was quite the test on poor Jet's self control, but he couldn't lose it. The high potency of female pheromones permeating the air left the cave via the entrance, several needy males attempted to gain access. Their advances were met with four blazing green eyes, and a rather painful stream of fire. All of the females could see his state of unrest. The bulge in his hide was rather sizeable, and nearly constant. Redclaw was eventually rather pleased with the little side passage. It gave the couple a small amount of privacy as Jet unleashed his needs upon his mate./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The elder females were all rather envious of Redclaw. And the younger dragonesses were rather curious. Those in the cave who had left the season due to the fact that this was their first season and they were afraid didn't know why Redclaw usually fell to the ground after the couple mated./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Those who knew something of the mating experience understood what had happened. They had occasionally been given, by the grace of the experienced elder dragon, the feeling of weak knees to go with the glorious rushing sensation. But for one such as Redclaw to collapse, many shivered with the thoughts of what it would feel like. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"They wanted him. Badly./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Eventually the winter came. The number of invading males reduced. They were rather annoyed with the outsiders. The elder had ensnared a most beautiful Norwegian Ridgeback to his cave. The roars of pleasure that erupted from that cave had enough volume and force to shake snow from the trees./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"The younger however had secured fifteen of the available females, but they could never catch him off guard, he was always there. Always watching. Always protecting./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"When the snow started Jet retreated to the cave. Most of the younger females had already fallen asleep in a bundle towards the rear. Some of the older females had fallen to sleep on their own. But, there by a still conscious Redclaw were four dragonesses. Some were local species; Born to live in the mountains. Others were of a more exotic nature. A Chinese fireball was among them, as well as the Japanese Night Wing,; a species almost identical to their Viking cousin the Night Fury, only they were slightly larger./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet commenced to form his usual shelter around Redclaw, but the other dragons were insistent to join them. Eventually, with Red lying against Jet's side, their tails entwined, the others lay next to her, their heads and bodies covered by jet's massive wing, sheltering them from the icy winds that blasted through the entrance. Redclaw's dreams were filled with images of Jet flying with her, and a number of other dragons. Together forever. /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;"Jet's dreams were not so pleasant. Flashes of green light had recently taken to his mindscape. Wizard Magic. Evil Wizard Magic./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: null; text-align: center;" align="center"xxXxx/p 


End file.
